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Gornt said nothing。 He despised Barre but needed him。 〃I'm having a bash on my yacht on Sunday； Dunstan。 Would you care to e … you'll find it interesting。〃
〃Oh？ Who's the honored guest？〃
〃I thought of making it stag only … no wives； eh？〃
〃Ah！ Count me in；〃 Barre said at once； brightening。 〃I could bring a lady friend？〃
〃Bring two if you like； old chap； the more the merrier。 It'll be a small； select； safe group。 Plumm； he's a good sort and his girl friend's lots of fun。〃 Gornt saw Marlowe change direction as he was called over to a group of stewards dominated by Donald McBride。 Then； at a sudden thought； he added； 〃I think I'll invite Marlowe too。〃
〃Why if you think he's nosy？〃
〃He might be interested in the real stories about the Struans； our founding pirates and the present…day ones。〃 Gornt smiled with the front of his face and Barre wondered what devilment Gornt was planning。
The red…faced man mopped his brow。 〃Christ； I wish it would rain。 Did you know Marlowe was in the Hurricanes … he got three of the bloody Boche in the Battle of Britain before he got sent out to Singapore and that bloody mess。 I'll never forgive those bloody Japs for what they did to our lads there； here； or in China。〃
〃Nor will I；〃 Gornt agreed darkly。 〃Did you know my old man was in Nanking in '37； during the rape of Nanking？〃
〃No； Christ； how did he get out？〃
〃Some of our people hid him for a few days … we'd had associates there for generations。 Then he pretended to the Japs that he was a friendly correspondent for the London Times and talked his way back to Shanghai。 He still has nightmares about it。〃
〃Talking about nightmares； old chap； were you trying to give Ian one last night by going to his party？〃
〃You think he got even by taking care of my car？〃
〃Eh？〃 Barre was appalled。 〃Good God！ You mean your car was tampered with？〃
〃The master cylinder was ruptured by a blow of some kind。 The mechanic said it could've been done by a rock thrown up against it。〃
Barre stared at him and shook his head。 〃Ian's not a fool。 He's wild； yes； but he's no fool。 That'd be attempted murder。〃
〃It wouldn't be the first time。〃
〃If I were you I'd not say that sort of thing publicly； old chap。〃
〃You're not public； old chap。 Are you？〃
〃No。 Of cour… 〃
〃Good。〃 Gornt turned his dark eyes on him。 〃This is going to be a time when friends should stick together。〃
〃Oh？〃 Barre was instantly on guard。
〃Yes。 The market's very nervous。 This Ho…Pak mess could foul up a lot of all our plans。〃
〃My Hong Kong and Lan Tao Farms's as solid as the Peak。〃
〃You are； providing your Swiss bankers continue to grant you your new line of credit。〃
Barre's florid face whitened。 〃Eh？〃
〃Without their loan you can't take over Hong Kong Docks and Wharves； Royal Insurance of Hong Kong and Malaya； expand into Singapore or plete a lot of other tricky little deals you've on your agenda … you and your newfound friend； Mason Loft； the whiz kid of Threadneedle Street。 Right？〃
Barre watched him； cold sweat running down his back； shocked that Gornt was privy to his secrets。 〃Where'd you hear about those？〃
Gornt laughed。 〃I've friends in high places； old chap。 Don't worry； your Achilles' heel's safe with me。〃
〃We're 。。。 we're in no danger。〃
〃Of course not。〃 Gornt turned his binoculars back on his horse。 〃Oh by the way； Dunstan； I might need your vote at the next meeting of the bank。〃
〃On what？〃
〃I don't know yet。〃 Gornt looked down at him。 〃I just need to know that I can count on you。〃
〃Yes。 Yes of course。〃 Barre was wondering nervously what Gornt had in mind and where the leak was。 〃Always happy to oblige； old chap。〃
〃Thank you。 You're selling Ho…Pak short？〃
〃Of course。 I got all my money out yesterday； thank God。 Why？〃
〃I heard Dunross's Par…Con deal won't go through。 I'm considering selling him short too。〃
〃Oh？ The deal's not on？ Why？〃
Gornt smiled sardonically。 〃Because； Dunstan … 〃
〃Hello； Quillan； Dunstan； sorry to interrupt；〃 Donald McBride said； bustling up to them； two men in tow。 〃May I introduce Mr。 Charles Biltzmann； vice…president of American Superfoods。 He'll be heading up the new General Stores…Superfoods merger and based in the Colony from now on。 Mr。 Gornt and Sir Dunstan Barre。〃
The tall； sandy…haired American wore a gray suit and tie and rimless glasses。 He stuck out his hand affably。 〃Glad to meet you。 This's a nice little track you've got here。〃
Gornt shook hands without enthusiasm。 Next to Biltzmann was Richard Hamilton Pugmire； the present tai…pan of H。K。 General Stores； a steward of the Turf Club； a short arrogant man in his late forties who carried his smallness as a constant challenge。 〃Hello； you two！ Well； who's the winner of the fifth？〃
Gornt towered over him。 〃I'll tell you after the race。〃
〃Oh e on； Quillan； you know it'll be fixed before the horses even parade。〃
〃If you can prove that I'm sure we'd all like to know。 I certainly would； wouldn't you； Donald？〃
〃I'm sure Richard was just joking；〃 Donald McBride replied。 He was in his sixties； his Eurasian features pleasing； and the warmth of his smile pervaded him。 He added to Biltzmann； 〃There're always these rumors about race fixing but we do what we can and when we catch anyone … off with his head！ At least off the course he goes。〃
〃Hell； races get fixed in the States too but I guess here where it's all amateur and wide open； it's got to be easier；〃 Biltzmann said breezily。 〃That stallion you have； Quillan。 He's Australian； partial pedigree； isn't he？〃
〃Yes；〃 Gornt said abruptly； detesting his familiarity。
〃Don here was explaining some of the rules of your racing。 I'd sure like to be part of your racing fraternity … hope I can get to be a voting member too。〃
The Turf Club was very exclusive and very tightly controlled。 There were two hundred voting members and four thousand non…voting members。 Only voting members could get into the members' box。 Only voting members could own horses。 Only voting members could propose two persons a year to be nonvoting members … the stewards' decision； approval or nonapproval being final； their voting secret。 And only voting members could bee a steward。
〃Yes；〃 Biltzmann repeated； 〃that'd be just great。〃
〃I'm sure that could be arranged；〃 McBride said with a smile。 〃The club's always looking for new blood … and new horses。〃
〃Do you plan to stay in Hong Kong； Mr。 Biltzmann？〃 Gornt asked。
〃Call me Chuck。 I'm here for the duration；〃 the American replied。 〃I suppose I'm Superfoods of Asia's new tai…pan。 Sounds great； doesn't it？〃
〃Marvelous！〃 Barre said； witheringly。
Biltzmann continued happily； not yet tuned to English sarcasm； 〃I'm the fall guy for our board in New York。 As the man from Missouri said； the buck stops here。〃 He smiled but no one smiled with him。 〃I'll be here at least a couple of years and I'm looking forward to every minute。 We're getting ready to settle in right now。 My bride arrives tomorrow an… 〃
〃You're just married； Mr。 Biltzmann？〃
〃Oh no； that's just a； an American expression。 We've been married twenty years。 Soon as our new place's fixed the way she wants it； we'd be happy for you to e to dinner。 Maybe a barbecue？ We